Mr Killa’s ‘Panty Dropper’ creates unease

At least two individuals have taken issue with a song being promoted for 2015 by one of Grenada’s Cultural Ambassadors, Hollis “Mr Killa” Mapp.

A scene from the video with Mr Killa

In his new hit song entitled “Panty Dropper, which has taken the airwaves by storm, Mr Killa portrays himself as a ladies man going around dropping panties, with several ladies coming after him.

The scenario is also reflected in the music video, where several women are seen dressed in very little attire and dancing explicitly around the artiste.

Coordinator of the Drug Control Unit in the Ministry of Health, Arthur Pierre told THE NEW TODAY, that he was “disappointed” after seeing the music video and the message it puts forward especially to young people.

“I have great respect for Mr Killa. I believe that he is a very talented young man. However, when I sat with my children and we watched the news and the music video, it disturbed me,” he said.

According to Pierre, this is his own personal view and in no way represents the view of the Ministry of Health.

“We have to ensure that our musicians and our artistes be responsible. They carry a message and the message that they carry should be an upliftment to our young people and sad to say I was disappointed with what I saw,” he remarked.

“We have a number of issues with young persons exposing themselves,” he said as he made reference to a recent situation where the nudity of three teenagers was shamefully exposed on social media.

“It is something that has happened almost recently…when I hear songs and see music videos like that (from Mr. Killa)…it basically says to me that we are encouraging that sort of behaviour, he said, noting that “it is something that I must speak up about.”

Pierre said that “music and music videos” have been identified as the number one influence on young people who participated in a focus group assessment study recently held by the Ministry of Education.

He believes that the church should be a moral voice in situations like this.

“They preach it within the confines of the walls but they need to come out and talk about it… they should not be reactive but proactive. When things like that happen they must say something…”he said.

Commenting on Mr Killa’s 2014 hit “Rolly Polly” which won him the second position in the 2014 International Soca Monarch in Trinidad, Pierre said, “while he was also a bit disappointed “the message and the boost of the song gave persons who were endowed with a big body some sort of confidence…”

Mr Killa is using “Panty Dropper” to contest the 2015 International Soca Monarch title in Trinidad and Tobago.

However, one ‘die hard’ Mr Killa fan, who wished to remain anonymous, said while she has no problem with the song, she believes the rising soca star should have used a different song to contest the international competition.

“The song ‘Panty Dropper ‘is not really that bad but knowing Mr Killa is a Cultural Ambassador, I think he should not have used that song… it should have stayed here locally, she said.

She believes that his song “When we reach” portrays a better image.
“It is more bacchanal, more carnival. ‘Panty Dropper’ sound more as a dancehall not soca.”